Hospital: Nurse who dropped newborn disciplined, not fired

UNIONTOWN, Pa. (AP) — A spokesman says a western Pennsylvania hospital will discipline but not fire a veteran nurse who accidentally dropped a newborn baby, fracturing his skull.

Uniontown Hospital spokesman Josh Krysak says the hospital isn't releasing the name of the nurse or saying how she's being punished because the incident is a confidential personnel matter.

Krysak says the hospital's internal review determined the incident Jun 30 was an accident. The 32-year veteran nurse was in a chair feeding and burping the baby, when he somehow slipped from her grasp.

Eli Murdock, who was 1-day-old when dropped, was later diagnosed with a skull fracture at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, where he remained Tuesday.

That hospital isn't releasing information on the baby's condition, but his mother, Jacqueline Hunt, tells WPXI-TV the baby is gaining weight but remains in intensive care.